Hand actuating means for the foot pedals of motor vehicles



June 2,1925

- M. a. FARMER HAND ACTUATING MEANS FOR THE FOOT PEDALS 0F MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Dec. 13, 1924 -2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gnaw/11 504 June 2. 1925 1,540,2 1

M. B. FARMER HAND ACTUATING MEANS .FOR. THE FOOT PEDALS 0F MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Dec. 13, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jwuentoz Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

MIKIiB. ram/run, or PRATT, KANSAS.

HAND ACTUATING MEANS FOR THE FOOT PEDALS OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed December 18 1924. Serial No. 755,780.

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MIKE B. FARMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pratt, in the county of Pratt and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Hand Actuating,

Means for the. .F oot Pedals of Motor Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a. hi hly novel means for facilitating the actuation of the usual foot pedal of a motor vehicle without the use of the feet.

One of the important objects of the present invention is'to provide a device of the above mentioned character which is particularly adapted to be used. in conjunction with the clutch, reverse'and brake pedals respectively of an automobile of the Ford type whereby the operator may control the actuation of the foot pedal by hand.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned'character, wherein the hand operated means for controlling the actuation of the foot pedal is disposed within easy access to the operator of the motor vehicle, means be- 7 ing further provided for returning the several parts to their normal position after the same has been actuated.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which is of such construction as to enable the same to be readily and easily attached in position on the motor vehicle without materially altering the same.

A still further object is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong and durable and. furthermore adapted for the purposes for which it is designated.

Other objects and advantages of this in veution will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a. part of this specification and in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus embodying my invention showing the same attached.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the instrument board of a motor vehicle showing the arrangement of the handle mounted on" the upper ends of the operating rods.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4: of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail of the connection be tween each of the rods and its respective foot pedal.

Figure 6 is a detail of the hand operated means associated with the starter.

Figure 7 is a detail of the locking means associated with the operating rod for the clutch pedal showing the operating rod in locked position, and

Figure 8 isa detail fragmentary perspective View of the upper portion of the operating rod associated with the clutch pedal. In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numerals 1,

2 and 3 designate the clutch. reverse and footbrake pedals respectively of a motor ve hicle, preferably of the Ford type. The dash board of the motor vehicle is indicated at 4 and the instrument board at 5. A suit-' able bracket 6 is secured on the dashboard 4 and cooperates with a bracket 7 which is so.-

cured on the left side' of the internal com bastion engine 8 by one of the engine bolts 9.

A shaft 10 has its .en'ds supported in the brackets 6 and 7 respectively as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and'2 of the drawings. The purpose thereof will hereinafter be more fully described. Vertically extending levers 11, 12 and 13 respectively are pivotally supprovided with registering openings. A rod- 17 is connected at its forward end tothe lower end of the lever 11 as at 18 and the rear end thereof is provided with an eye portion which is disposed within the bifurported adjacent their lower ends on the shaft cated end 16 of the bolt 15 vassociated. with a the clutch pedal 1,,a locking pin 19 extending through the registering openings pro vided in the bifurcated ends of the bolt and the eye portion of the rod. Similar rods 20 and 21 afford a connection between the lower ends of the le ers 12 and 13 and the reverse and foot brake pedals 2 and 3 respectively.

The upper ends of the levers 11, 12 and 13 respectlvely are each provided with a series of spaced openings for adjustably connecting thereto the forward ends of the operattions, coil springs such as are shown at-28 are connected at one end to the respective.

levers at a point adjacent the upper ends thereof, the forward ends of the springs being secured to a suitable bracket 29 which 5 extends laterally from the forward end of the internal combustion engme 8. This construction is more clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. Y s ",Ihe upper portion of the operating rod 22 which controls the actuation of the clutch pedal 1 is cut away on its oppositesides as illustrated at 30 with reference more particularly to Figure 8 and the purpose thereof is to permit the reduced portion of the rod 22 to be disposed within the slot 31 which extends from the opening 32 in the instrument board 5 through which the rod 22 is adapted to pass whereby the clutch pedal is maintained in a neutral position.

A cam such as is shown at 33 is rotatably supported on the instrument board 5 below the slot 31 and when the same is rotated in one direction, by'rneans of the handle 34 associated therewith, the reduced portion of the rod 22 will be raised out. of en agement with the" slot 31. and disposed wit in the o ening 32 so that the rod 22 may be adapte for slidable movement'through the opening when the handle 25-is actuated. 'A'stop such as illustrated at '35 ismounted on the instrument=board 5 and cooperates with the cam 33 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 7 what I c aim is:

For the purpose of simultaneously mov-' ing the clutch pedal 1 tea neutral position when the foot brake 3 is. actuated, I vide. a fin er 36 on the operating ro adjacent t e forward end thereof,- and an' 'arm such as isshown at 37 is associated with the forward portion of the operatingrod 22, the .arm extending transversely across the rods 23 and 24 and being disposed. rearwardly of the finger 36 in the manner more clearly illustrated in Figure 2. Itis obvious that when; the handle 27 is pulled rearwardly, the ,foot brake pedal'will be actuated and the finger 36 being in engage ment with the arm 37 will simultaneously cause the operation of the operating rod and lever associated with the clutch pedal 1.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, that means has been provided for facilitating the actuation of the foot edals by hand, the hand operating means eing disposed within easy access to the operator so that the same may be readily and efiiciently actuated whenever necessary. I

nated generally at 38 and thesame comprises a hand lever 39 which is pivotally supported intermediate its ends as illustrated at 40 below the front seat of the motor vehicle. A socket member 41 receives the upper end of the button of the usual starter switch and the socket member 41 is provided with an extension 42 which is pivotally connected at its upper end to the shorter arm of the lever as clearly illustrated in Figure 6. It is obvious that when the free end of the lever 39 is ulled upwardly, the socket member 41 will lie pushed downwardly causing the simultaneous downward movement of the button of the starter switch. which will be operated before startin the motor. 1

1e provision of an apparatus of the above mentioned character, enablesthe same to be easily and readily attached in position upon a motor vehicle without materially altering the same and will at all times be positive and eflicient in its operation. .While "I have shown the preferred em? bodiment'ofmy invention, it is to be unlerstoodthat-v various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted without departing from the spirit-of the invention and the scope of the appended claimsf Havin thus described the invention,

1. In combination with a motor vehicle in cluding the usual foot pedals, and the dash A hand operated means has also been pro-'- vided for actuating the starter switch desig-' posed forwardly of the dash board, rods connecting the lower ends of said levers with the respective foot pedals, operating rods connected at their forward ends to the upper ends of said levers and extending through said dash board, and handles on the opposite ends of said operating rods whereby the foot pedals are actuated independently by the hand.

2. In combination with a motor vehicle'including the usual foot pedals, and the dash board, of pivotally supported levers disposed forwardly of the dash board, rods connecting the lower ends of said levers with the respective foot pedals, o crating connected at their forward-en s tothe ends of saiddevers and extending @ui-ough said dash board, handles on the opposits ends of-said operatin rods whereby the foot pedals are actuated independently by hand, and means for normallyiholding. said foot pedal actuatingmeans in its non 10 mal inoperative position;

board, of pivotally supported levers fdisgf posed forwardly of the dash. board jrods therespectivemfoot pedals, operatin rodsconnected at their forward ends to't e up per ends of said levers and extending posits ends of sa'id'operatin rods whereby the foot pedals are actuate independently by hand, means for normally holding said foot pedal actuating means in its normal in-.-

c-perative position, and means for actuat-. mg certainaof said'foot pedals.s multane-- nusly. i

i. In combinationjwith a motor vehicle including the. usual-clutch, reverse and foot brake edals, .and'tl1e dash board, of levers ivota ly supported forwardly of the dash iioard,a c onnection between said foot pedal ,and the lowerjends of the res operating rods ada ted' for's ment through the ash board, the forward ends thereof being connected to the upper ective levers,

.ends of the respectiye levers, handles onthe' opposite ends'bf said operating rods for fa--" cilitatin the actuation :of the foot pedals indepen entlyi by hand, and means associ- -foot brake pedal whereby the clutch pedal is adapted for simultaneous action :with the foot brake p'edalwhen the latter is operated, said means 'comprising an arm extend- 4& ing laterally from. the forward portionof the firstmentionedoperatingrod, and a finger on the second mentionedoperating' rod, ndaptedqto engage said arm.

cluding the usual clutch, reverse'and-foot brake pedals, and the dash,board,zof levers dash oard, a connection between said 'foot, pedal and the lower. ends of the respec-. tive levers, operating rods adapted for slid-- able movement through the .dash board, the forward ends thereof being connected to the upper ends of the respective levers, handles on the opposite ends of said operating rods for fac1litating the actuation of v the foot pedals inde end'ently by hand, means associated with the operating rod connected to the foot brake pedal whereby the clutch pedal is adapted for simultaneous action with the foot brake pedal when the latconnecting the lower ends of said levers with 'dable' move-- ated with the operating 'rod. connected to the ing rods, means ivotally supported forwardly'of the;

ter. is operated, said means comprising an.

arm extending laterally from the forward portion of the first mentioned operating rod,

I brake edals, and the dash board, of levers 3. In combination with a motor v'ehielein cluding the usual foot-pedala-andithedasha and the lower ends-of the respective levers,

operating rods adapted for .slidable move- -mentithrough the dash board, the forward ends thereof being connected to the. upper ends of the respective levers, handles on the .UOpPOSitQQIIdS of said operating rods for fai through said dashboard, handles on the op'- 1lcilitating the actuation of the foot pedals independently by hand, means associated.

'-.with' the operating rod connected to the foot I "brake pedal whereby the clutch pedal is adapted for simultaneous action with the foot brake pedal when the latter is operated, said means comprising an armflextending laterally from the forward portion of the first mentioned operating rod, a finger on the second mentioned operating rod adapted to engage said arm, means for holding the 9 for returning the foot pedal operating clutch pedal in a neutral position, and means means to its normal ino erative POSltlOIL including the usual clutch, reverse and foot brake pedals, andthe instrument board, of

7; In. combination with a motor vehicle,

levers pivotall'y supported forwardly of the instrument board, connections "between the lower ends of the levers and the respective foot pedals,'operating rods adapted for slid able movementv through theinstrument board and-connected at theinforward ends to the upper ends of the respectijve levers,

handles on the oppositeends of said operat-' orholding clutch pedal 1 I in a neutral position, said means comprising a flattened portion provided in the rear portion of the operating rodconnected to the v clutch pedal, said flattened portionxadapted 5. In combination witha motor vehicle in- 8; In combination with .a mot'or vehicle,

including the usual clutch, reverse and footbrakepedals, and the instrument board, of. levels pivotally supportedforw-ardly'of the instrument board, connections between the lower ends of the lever-sand foot pedals,

the respective operating rods adapted for-slidable movement fhro gh the instrument board and connected a their forward ends to the upper ends of the respective levers, handles on the opposite ends of said operating rods, means for holding the clutch pedal in a neutral position, said means comprising a flattened portion provided in the rear portion of the operating rod connected to the clutch pedal, said flattened portion adapted to be seated in a slot formed in the instrument board and extending downwardlyfrom the opening through which the operat-. i-ng rod for the clutch pedal is adapted to extend, and means for normally holding the flattened portions of said operating rod out of engagement with said slot.

9. In combination with a motor vehicle, including the usual clutch, reverse and foot brake pedals, and the instrument board, of lovers pivot-ally supported forwardly of the instrument board, connections between the lower ends of the levers and the respective foot pedals, operating rods adapted for slidable movement through the instrument board and connected at their forward ends to the upper ends of the respective levers, handles on the opposite ends 01'' said operating rods, means for holding the clutch pedal in a neutral position, said means comprising a flattened portion provided in the rear portion of the operating rod connected to the clutch pedal, said flattened portion adapted to be seated in a slot formed in the instru- 

